5. GLOSSARY OF SAILING TERMS
13
meridian; caused by object aboard.
Displacement: 1, the weight of water
displaced by a boat is equal to the
weight of the boat; 2, a displacement
hull is one that displaces its own
weight in water and is only supported
by buoyancy, as opposed to a
planning hull which can exceed its
hull, or displacement, speed.
Downhaul: a rope fitted to pull down
a sail or spar.
Draft: the vertical distance from the
waterline to the lowest point of the
keel.
Drag: 1, an anchor drags when it fails
to hole; 2, the force of wind on the
sails, or water on the hull, which
impedes the boat’s progress.
Drift: 1, to float with the current or
wind; 2, US the speed of a current
(rate UK); 3, UK: the distance a boat
is carried by a current in a given time.
Drogue: a sea anchor put over the
stern of a boat or life raft to retard
drift.
Drop keel: a retractable keel which
can be drawn into the hull, when
entering shallow waters and
recovering on to a trailer.
E
Eye of the wind: direction from
which the true wind blows.
F
Fair: well-faired line or surface is
smoother with no bumps, hollows or
abrupt changes in directions.
Fairlead: a fitting through which a
line is run to alter the lead of the line.
Fathom: the measurement used for
depths of water and lengths or rope.
1 fathom = 6 ft. or 1.83m.
Fid: a tapered tool used for splicing
heavy rope and for sail-making, often
hollow.
Fiddle: a raised border for a cabin
table, chart table etc., to prevent
objects falling off when the boat
heels.
Fix: the position of the vessel as
plotted from two or more position
lines.
Forestay: the foremost stay, running
from the masthead to the stemhead,
to which the headsail is hanked.
Freeboard: vertical distance between
the waterline and the top of the deck.
G
Genoa: a large headsail, in various
sizes, which overlaps the mainsail
and is hoisted in light to fresh winds
on all points of sailing.
Gimbals: two concentric rings,
pivoted at right angles, which keeps
objects horizontal despite the boat’s
motion, e. g. compass and cooker.
Go about: to turn the boat through
the eye of the wind to change tack.
Gooseneck: the fitting attaching the
boom to the mast, allowing it to move
in all directions.
Goosewing: to boom-out the
headsail to windward on a run by
using a whisker pole to hold the sail
on the opposite side to the mainsail.
Ground tackle: general term used
for anchoring gear.
Guard rail: a metal rail fitted around
the boat to prevent the crew falling
overboard.
Gudgeon: a rudder fitting. It is the
eye into which the pintle fits.
Guy: a steadying rope for a spar; a
spinnaker guy controls the fore and
aft position of the spinnaker pole; the
foreguy holds the spinaker pole
forward and down.
Gybe: to change from one tack to
another by turning the stern through
the wind.
H
Halyard: rope used to hoist and
lower sails.
Hank: fitting used to attach the luff of
a sail to a stay.
Hatch: an opening in the deck giving
access to the interior.
Hawes pipe: see Navel pipe.
Head-topwind: when the bows are
pointing right into the wind.
Headfoil: a streamlined surround to a
forestay, with a groove into which a
headsail luff slides.
Heads: the toilet.
Headway: the forward movement of
a boat through the water.
Heave-to: to back the jib and lash the
tiller to leeward; used in heavy
weather to encourage the boat to lie
quietly and to reduce headway.
Heaving line: a light line suitable for
throwing ashore.
Heel: to lean over to one side.
I
Isobars: lines on a weather map
joining places of equal atmospheric
pressure.
J
Jackstay: a line running fore and aft,
on both sides of the boat, to which
safety harnesses are clipped.
Jury: a temporary device to replace
lost or damaged gear.
K
Keel: the main backbone of the boat
to which a ballast keel is bolted or
through which the centerboard
passes.
Kicking strap: a line used to pull the
boom down, to keep it horizontal,
particularly on a reach or run.
L
Lanyard: a short line attached to one
object, such as a knife, with which it
is secured to another.
Leech: 1, the after edge of a triangle
sail; 2, both side edges of a square
sail.
Leehelm: the tendency of a boat to
bear away from the wind.
Lee shore: a shore on to which the
wind blows.
Leeward: away from the wind; the
direction to which the wind blows.
Leeway: the sideways movement of
a boat off its course as a result of the
wind blowing on one side of the sails.
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